Syracuse forward Chris Bell discusses the win over Colgate.
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00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:10 >> Chris, I mean, I wanna ask you about this,
00:23 the three that tied the game at 70.
00:25 Do you remember that shot?
00:26 >> I do. >> Okay,
00:27 tell me what happened on that play.
00:28 >> I believe someone threw it out, and I kind of looked up at the shot clock.
00:32 And I remember I hadn't shot a shot like that in a while, so
00:36 I was like, I'm just gonna take it.
00:37 >> I didn't have to go in.
00:38 >> I mean, you were pretty deep.
00:38 How far back were you?
00:39 >> I don't really remember, to be honest.
00:42 I shot it.
00:43 >> Okay, did you feel in the second half that they couldn't guard you?
00:47 Did you want the ball?
00:49 Did you want to try to take advantage of the mismatch you had?
00:55 >> I really was just trying to find open spaces.
00:57 My teammates always find me and beat me.
00:58 I was just trying to make shots.
01:00 And I just kept shooting the ball, that's all it was.
01:02 >> Was it one of those kind of days where it felt good?
01:04 You know, the shots were going in, important shots were going in.
01:07 And how did that feel for you as a player?
01:10 >> As a player, I mean, it felt good to see them go in.
01:12 I also watched a lot of stuff on Clay Thompson,
01:14 how he always keeps shooting the ball no matter what's going on.
01:16 So watching him a lot actually helps me a lot.
01:19 I'm giving my confidence to that, myself.
01:21 It helped me tonight.
01:22 >> The fact that the pace of the game was so much quicker in the second half,
01:25 was that much more conducive to the way you guys wanna play and
01:28 the way that you're better in those situations?
01:30 >> I think that's what we wanted to do at the beginning of the game,
01:33 kinda run them out.
01:34 >> Yeah. >> We're a slow paced team.
01:36 >> Right. >> And I think we picked it up a lot in
01:37 the second half because of our defense.
01:39 >> Right, because of the press.
01:41 Yeah, okay.
01:42 >> Going off of what you're saying about Clay Thompson, and
01:45 obviously you caught fire at the end of the second half.
01:47 Was there any hesitation during the first or when shots weren't falling?
01:52 >> No, there never is hesitation, just keep letting it go.
01:54 Some shots go in, some don't.
01:57 >> You talked about how you struggled in your freshman year, I think.
02:01 What went into the off season work?
02:02 What'd you do this off season and how do you think it paid off today?
02:05 >> Just trying to be more consistent.
02:06 I feel like the human body, everything's off topic.
02:09 I can work hard, everything like that will start going in.
02:14 Everywhere around us, like DJ, Judah, you see all those guys work ingesting.
02:18 Obviously, can't get through some of everybody's work.
02:21 And talking about that 3-pointer, that even 70,
02:25 is that a shot that I should use in a green light whenever?
02:28 >> I don't want to say anything about my shot, I just want to make sure.
02:31 >> Taking the ball to the basket, is that something you worked on this summer?
02:35 >> It's something I always do, it's just we got other people that do that really
02:38 well, JJ, Judah, Quadir, I just try to fill my role and stay in my spot.
02:43 >> But you're doing that more this year than you did last year, right?
02:46 >> Just trying to be more aggressive, find my spots in better places.
02:49 Jumper's not falling, gotta do something.
02:51 >> And defense also, you had no rebounds, but your defense really took it back.
02:57 >> I felt like I was active, I didn't really get to cross the boys.
03:00 I was running around chasing ball for the line, so he was kinda out a lot.
03:04 Other than that, not really worried about that,
03:06 worried about playing defense and getting out there and winning.
03:08 That's what we did.
03:09 >> What was the mood like, I'm sorry, James.
03:11 What was the mood like in the halftime?
03:15 I just lost my voice.
03:16 >> Same mood coming into the game, we were ready to play.
03:19 We weren't down or anything, we knew we were gonna come back and get a win.
03:22 >> Was there a discussion about how that was gonna happen,
03:25 what you had to do to get back in the game?
03:27 >> Yeah, coach emphasized using our depth, get tired, bring people in,
03:31 get your two, three minutes, and that's what we kept doing.
03:34 We know it worked out.
03:35 Full court press help, they started to get a little stuck.
03:38 >> Yeah.
03:39 >> Came in on top.
03:40 >> Chris, were you surprised on some occasions how open you were?
03:43 It seemed like they were sagging off you a little bit.
03:45 >> No, I think that's how Colgate plays.
03:47 I think they kinda dare you to kinda take threes and shoot the ball.
03:50 That's how they kinda play with your mind a little bit.
03:53 You just gotta know they're gonna go in and just keep taking it.
03:55 They're gonna go in and out.
03:56 >> Yeah, and you're hitting those threes in the second half.
03:58 What's that feeling like?
03:59 How would you describe it?
04:00 >> It feels good.
04:01 I feel like I just need to see the ball going for me.
04:04 If I see one going, it's over me, that's fine.
04:06 >> And then looking ahead to Maui, just how do you think about that challenge?
04:10 >> We're just trying to prepare for Tennessee.
04:12 Play a lot of top-draw teams.
04:14 That's all it is, and I'm ready to play, use my depth, and
04:16 I can defense when the ball comes.
04:18 >> Thank you.
04:19 >> Thank you.
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